That Dream
by Ready09Sette
Summary: The world has its own secrets, one of them was mistakenly used for humans' selfish hunger. Keeping your stance, who cowered behind you is the last... and the nearest star you've ever seen. Determined to defend such delicate life, you took out your 'sword' - to keep the memories and the dreams the two of you have spent untouched. Warning(s) : IchiGrimm, A/U, emotional fic. R&R!
1. Waking Up

Summary : Where the clouds hovered the whole world, you knew what would happen next. A world which uses a special 'ingredient' called the Plant, suddenly became the only justification of countless massacre. The fight between the Pure Black and the Tainted White grew immense over the Plant that yearned for freedom from someone he called the 'passing sun'.

*updated* rated T for the first few chapties, rated M for later - just in case for violence and malexmale maybe? :D So don't throw that chair at me! DX

I will put up a few warnings in the later chapters for that will-be rated M.

My apologies for the errors unintentionally made in this chapter, will be corrected soon.

Nonetheless, enjoy the story!

* * *

Chapter One : Waking Up

_I have this ability..._

It would seem that i'd lie if i'm an immortal to everyone when i'm just not.

I'm a normal... a mere human with a very weak will to live for the others nor myself. Always, refuge and hid myself on the backs of others.

_I have this ability..._

...that taught me, how beautiful the world is after death.

It's strange, huh? But i fancy it. So damn much...

A dream that led me to my own promised land, the dream that nobody would dare to come and haunt me... this one dream, that is like a continuous reality to me.

_I have this ability..._

...to alter my desired world into many impossible ways.

Be the sky to walk on to.

The water as my air or...

...the wind i breathe as my sky.

I can move freely. Into many outrageous ways that physics cannot define. This dream of mine, is the only place i can falter to, the only place that looks so _real_ to only me.

_I have this ability..._

...that enables me to strip my soul away from my armour and flesh.

Hurt my lifeless vessel, i wouldn't feel the growing pain.

Not that i'm unconscious, i am alive and very much awake... but i'm just not there. And that really is something the reality cannot explain.

_I have this ability..._

...to turn the reality's gravity to nothing.

To turn the air, the water, the earth to nothing.

Alter every movement of the nature, the species and my psychological _humans _to nothing.

Nook and cranny, this dream... is my world.

_But i have this ability..._

...to realise that the place where i would always took comfort at, left me in sorrow and very, very...

...lonely.

* * *

~(0-0)~

"Had a nice _dream?_" rings a voice through the darkness of his mind.

Nothingness had walled over his sight, stagnant and still air. Nothing to breathe at. But strangely, the damp air doesn't feel that much suffocating. His eyes were just shut closed, but he could see through his covered sight.

He mumbled, his finger twitched, "...I wouldn't call it a _dream_ though. I just realised something really stupid..."

The voice chuckled, "You're still in paralyse mode, Ichigo. Just wait a bit."

Instead of Uryu's voice, Ichigo slowly regained his normal sense of hearing. He could hear keyboard tapping, clacking and the computers beeping. Soft, lounging musics running through a large, old-fashioned radio, echoing slightly within the small, compounded white room. His senses had returned, beginning to feel warmth running through his skin and the comfortable arm-chair he had sat on.

Tingling senses of coldness shivered him a bit as his pair of brown eyes gained its sight.

The white lights above blinded him, his hand moved to cover his eyes. Ichigo blinked, regaining and focusing every images of the room he was in.

Everything was blurry, but he got used to it after he had that _dream. _

"How're you feeling?" asked the black-haired young man in white laboratory coat, placing his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

His vision was all clear now, stretching his legs and arms as he tried to sit. He groaned, "...Feeling fine."

Uryu smiled, returning to the computer he had been typing on, "You know, i shouldn't be helping you out like this everyday, Ichigo. We could get in trouble."

Ichigo smirked, "Sorry, but you already helped me out a lot, Uryu."

Uryu looked at the orange-haired from his shoulder and shook his head, "Yeah... guess you're right."

He moved to help the orange-haired to stand and added, "Things i do to make you happy."

When Uryu turned, Ichigo's smile slowly wavered. If it were ever possible, he wanted to stay in his _dream. _Just let him die already, making him stay in this crappy era felt terribly long to him. This prolonged life of humans...

The black-haired walked back to the computer, recollecting the data he had of Ichigo's and wrote down on his report. Hearing the door behind him creaking open, he turned, "Oh? Where are you going?"

"Back to my apartment," Ichigo mumbled, didn't bother to face his friend as his eyes fixed at the exit sign.

Uryu told himself not to be a bother to Ichigo's life, and said, "Okay, see you. Be careful on your way home."

The door closed before Uryu said goodbye. Ichigo went to his locker, taking out his bag and slammed it closed. Quickly wearing his black jacket to shield himself out from the winter cold as he walked out of the room, through the hallways, down the elevator, greeted by many colleagues and got out of the well-known building Ichigo currently worked in.

As the automatic door slid open, he slipped his headphone to his ears and listened to his tracks of musics. Giving most of his attention to the route he was walking on, and took the chance of sight-seeing the town he lived in for nearly a few months. The air was cold enough to begin with as Ichigo let his eyes wander to absorb every inches of the terrific town.

Karakura was known for its own grand technology, bridges from other districts connects to the grand town as their main 'energy' core. Stores that sells rare goods, restaurants that served great delicacies, magic that had proven to be extraordinary and the power that restores many lost lives. The power which protected the town and its people through the bright, dearly 'Plant'.

No one had ever seen the real 'Plant', but rumours have said that the Plant was chosen from a mere human being. Freedom stripped away from its human vessel, replaced by the knowledge of unknown magic.

But it hasn't been proven whether it is true or not. The propaganda behind this, was the work of the White. The most powerful company that began the power project in the first place.

The orange-haired stopped on a small-bridge above a cold, freezing pond, overlooking the perfect view of the White's company. The company was vast, one very bright light shines at the middle, protected by seemingly glass centred of the tall building. It was... probably the 'Plant'.

This era had no sun.

Though one could see the sun's rays brightening the sky, the full star was never again seen by them, even from the outer space. It was something humans cannot alter.

At the darkening sky of violet-orange, the view of the White's company looked very sad and nostalgic. It also somehow looked very beautiful and peaceful.

Ichigo turned his heels to walk home when a man accidentally bumped his shoulder and fell.

"Ow... Hey, you okay man?" Ichigo asked, placing a hand on the stranger's shoulder.

The blue-haired jolted, turning his face to the orange-haired, in distraught and afraid. He looked scared, caught by shock, just what had happened to him? He was wearing ragged white clothes, the type which people wore when they get experimented on. The pale skin was bruised and cut, a tortured man. Even both of his wrists and ankles were bruised, seemingly from tight shackles.

Trembling body and gasping, heaving chest desperately in search for warmth, stuttered.

"...P-Please..." the blue-haired begged, raspy voice sounded forced, stammering from the cause of his fright and the evening cold.

Ichigo's gut was screaming at him, telling him that he should help this poor blue-haired. Save him if possible. But... save him from _who? _

But the blue-haired slapped Ichigo's helping hand away when rough, shouting voices heard. He moved his straining body to continue running, leaving Ichigo to stand on his place, stunned. He noticed how limped the guy looked. Now, it seems suspicious, and the matter adds on when a few men running and chasing off towards the path that the blue-haired had run off to.

"Don't let him get away!"

"Hurry! He must be close!" shouted another.

The orange-haired saw the logos on each of the running strangers as they passed him by, they were from the White. Why would the White be bothered of a helpless, tortured man?

_'Damn this reality!' _he thought and sighed.

Ichigo couldn't help but poking his nose. The distraught face of the blue glued to his mind as he jogged. He searched the poor blue-haired as quickly and as silently as possible, being once a soldier himself. That blue stranger, couldn't be anywhere far in his limping state.

Then...

"Over there! Shoot him!"

* * *

Ready, online!

I've changed Hollows to White and Shinigamis to Black. Just to make sure it's obvious enough XDD I kinda like it!

Ready, offline!


	2. A Stranger

A/N : My apologies for the errors unintentionally made in this chapter, will be corrected soon.

Nonetheless, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Two : A Stranger

"Over there! Shoot him!"

Bang!

His steps halted, that gunshot sounded so near. Ichigo's stomach twisted when he thought of the poor, helpless man being shot dead - although he didn't care less of the stranger's actual situation. What do they want with him? Shaking away such negativity, he climbed up a nearby tree and leapt by the strong branches as quietly as he could. He followed the origin of prior's shunning sound, until he spotted the two Whites running around in search of the fleeing man.

"Man... How can we lose someone that weak?!" grunted the huge, tan skinned man.

The other White, the tall silent man breathed out, reloading his gun as he scanned his eyes around, "I got him wounded... He shouldn't be too far."

He gestured his huge partner to move on first, heedless of Ichigo's presence on the tree on top of him. Now, the orange-haired's positive that the blue is still alive. Taking sight of such deadly gun, he spotted its brand - it was 'Bloody Rose'. Gritting his teeth, he thought it was unfair to fire a poisonous bullet against a powerless human.

Or so he thought.

Ichigo must get to the wounded blue before these two White get a hold of him. Yet - he still wonders why.

The place was dark enough for him to leap from branches to branches, and his skills were just as agile as ever. It took him a few moments to realise that he was heading towards the city and that the blue - as he spotted - was limping away with his hand covering his wounded left shoulder. It was such a wonder why the bystanders paid no heed to the blue's obvious, desperate state. The orange-haired jumped down on a nearby pavement, surprising a few of the passing people as he quickly crossed the road. Cars honking loudly, tires screeching to a halt : Ichigo hoped that the two Whites didn't bother of this and that he hoped that the strange blue-haired would just stop running and go hide somewhere safe.

Finally on the other side of the road, his pair of brown eyes quickly returned to the limping blue quite a long way from him. Spotting the Whites forcing their way through the thick shrubs and bushes of the forest, Ichigo cursed to himself, 'Damn!'

Trying not to scare the blue away, Ichigo sneaked out on a back alley and skilfully climbed up a building by its brick walls and the strong edges of window panes - until he reached on the rooftop. Leaping up to a block where the blue was heading, Ichigo frowned. The Whites are reaching up to him.

Patiently waiting, he landed back on the solid ground of another back alley, seizing hold of the blue's good arm and pulled him into the safety of the dark. Ichigo brought the struggling blue farther away from the exit to the bright city. The orange-haired shut the other's mouth shut with his hand, hushing him quiet in the meantime. The Whites are coming. Ichigo had apparently turned the blue's head away, forcing him to rest his troubled head onto the orange's shoulder.

The blue's cold skin tingles Ichigo's adrenaline-rushed temperature. It was the moment of life and death for the poor blue as their eyes frowned in the dark... Anxious.

Alert, the two suspicious figures then ran passed them - as they stood unnoticed in the alley. Sighing in relief, Ichigo looked down on the surprisingly still blue.

"They're gone, for now... It won't be any time soon that they'll discover this place," Ichigo calmly said, taking his hand away from the blue's cold mouth.

But the stranger abruptly knelt down on the muddy ground, feeling weak on both of his knees. Ichigo widened his eyes, he'd forgotten that the blue was shot. The orange-haired managed to grab hold on both of the blue's arms, his heart started to grow worry, "H-Hey...! No, no, no... C'mon! Don't you faint on me now!"

Bringing the blue's unconscious body close to him, the latter was surprisingly light. Ichigo looked around for any suspicious eyes that stared at them, and returned back to take a sight of the stranger's weary, vulnerable expression. There was something different about this man... His aura felt inhuman.

He had noticed the bruising on the blue's wrists, the dirty, torn clothes... and many other unhealed cuts and swells as far as his eyes can see at the moment. It seemed unconscious to Ichigo that he had brought the blue to a warm hug.

He whispered to the fainted blue's ear, "It's all right, you're safe now... You're safe."

* * *

He stared blankly at the still beautiful view through his bedroom window, the glimmering white and gold of the mysterious 'Plant'. Switching his attention up to the sky, the countless stars shone brightly at him. They're too - beautiful. But he'd always wanted to see the 'sun' again, and that at the current night - will mark his first week allowing another man to sleep on his bed.

Ichigo had given it a thought, he might give this stranger an exception.

In his hand was the blue's tag, and as expected... the blue was a runaway slave of the White. There, stated the blue's name and his number of 6. Brown eyes stripped away from the stars to the small tag, and read them silently, "...Grimmjow."

He turned to the figure sleeping on his bed, only in Ichigo's pair of baggy sweat-pants covered by a sheet of blanket over him. Ichigo slipped Grimmjow's tag in his pocket, deciding that it might be better if the blue never see them again.

Sitting on a nearby chair beside the bed, it has been a week since 'that evening'. He had Grimmjow treated in his apartment room, away from bystanders' eyes - away from anybody that he knew. He took care of the blue by himself, changed the latter out from his ragged clothes : washed him, bandaged him and waited for him... Waiting for Grimmjow to wake up and open his eyes.

Crossing his arm as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes laid fixed to Grimmjow's exhausted face.

"There's something different about you... I wonder what," Ichigo thought out loud, hand reaching out to touch Grimmjow's pale skin but faltered.

His mouth slightly gaped in shock, but he quickly closed them. When did he start to grow fond of this blue-haired slave?

It felt like a sudden daily routine for him to go out to work in the morning until midday, and spent the rest of his day in his bedroom - brooding over a possible reason why Grimmjow was chased. The latter might be a slave, but from the look of the two White's faces he'd saw 'that evening', probably something uncanny. Took him another mouthful of a week wait, and there was still no sign of the blue waking up.

Although, some of his light cuts and swells had already been healed, also the gunshot wound on his shoulder that had finally stopped bleeding. Grimmjow's recovering somehow.

Looking down at his empty mug, he padded out from his bedroom and walked over to the kitchen to pour himself another mug of coffee.

* * *

Groaning, he squinted his eyes open. Coughing out dry, his hand clutched onto his painful shoulder. Wheezing, he'd realised something different. Where is he right now? Is he back in Hell? Inspecting himself, all of his injuries were cured - he's doing strangely fine. Heaving himself up with one arm as his support, his cyan eyes finally spotted at a figure leaning against the wall near the door.

"Had a nice _dream_?" the voice spoke, his tone sounded slightly sarcastic.

He didn't know what to say - was he thankful of this man saving his life? Could it be possible that this stranger had the same intentions as his former capturers?

"I'll help you..." he said, revealing his short mass of orange hair out from the dark part of the room.

Sauntering over, he grabbed Grimmjow's good arm firmly and pulled him up to a sitting position. Silently thanking this mysterious young man, his eyes followed the stranger walking over to a nearby table and heard the clanking noises of glass and the sound of pouring water. The orange-haired served them to him, accepting such a generous gift of water for his sore throat.

Grimmjow slowly gulped them down, and eventually finished the whole glass. He heard the young man chuckled as he took the glass away from him and placed them on the bedside table.

The blue hesitantly faced him.

"...Why did you... help me?" the blue asked, his voice still croaked - lowering his gaze to both of his bandaged hands.

The orange-haired seated on the edge of the bed, just beside Grimmjow as he whistled, "I don't know... But i could tell you something."

Shifting to look at the latter's face wearily, he spotted the orange curving a small, sad smile. His hand patted lightly on Grimmjow's messy spikes of hair as he expressed himself, "...I'll protect you, Grimmjow."

"H-How did-?!"

'...He'd forgotten his tag already? Guess that may be for the best, ' Ichigo thought to himself, taking hold of the blue's shivering hand.

Puffing out his warm breath to lessen the chill off of Grimmjow's hand, his eyes looked up to meet with the flustering blue. He calmly replied, "Never-mind about that... I'd prefer that you'd rest more. Injuries that i'm aware that you have on your body right now needs some time to heal."

Spotting a realisation that his clothes had been changed, Grimmjow grew bright red to his ears. He just had a stranger stripping him off naked for a change of clothes!

The orange-haired chuckled, "Don't worry, i won't tell anyone about your thing. Oh yeah, my name's Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Kuro... saki Ichigo...?"

"Yep, Ichigo for short," he smiled as he continued, "And i'm from the Black."

* * *

Ready, online!

Read & Review! Thy replies works wonders... xDD

Ready, offline!

***Take a peek at the author's profile for more stories!**


End file.
